Jean-Michel Basquiat; 1960–1988 — a U.S. artist, initially painting graffiti and street art, whose works quickly outgrew the street level and later became sold for millions of dollars. However, he died at the age of 27 due to drug use, so many of his paintings are peculiar reflections of hallucinations caused by various illegal drugs. He was a student of Andy Warhol and despite everything, managed to become popular in the artistic community, which is something out of the ordinary for a black guy who was a drug addict and lived on the streets for several years.
Self-portrait
Art historians refer to Basquiat's paintings as neo-expressionism, they partly resembled ancient cave painting and modern graffiti, often painted in pure colors, without transitions and halftones - Basquiat simply squeezed paint from a tube and smeared it on the canvas. But despite the seeming primitivism, his works come from some hidden and very ancient thoughts and feelings, from the basic concepts of painting - the way a child draws for the first time, though most of Basquiat's works are far from childish.
Stupefied Heads
Basquiat seemed to follow the famous precept: “live fast, die young”. At some point he became popular very quickly, but his popularity did not last long - just like the one-day stars from the web or television shows, who flare up and quickly go out. But unlike them, Basquiat's work became a true icon of modern neo-expressionism and “street style”. He managed to move art from galleries to the street, where it became accessible to all viewers, and later, his paintings took their place in serious museums. The cycle was complete and Basquiat became, if not the first street artist, then certainly the most famous before Banksy came along.
Fishing
Perhaps Basquiat was just unlucky in his skin color and place of birth. If he had been born somewhere in New Orleans, he could have become a good musician and lived a good and long life. He was a very capable boy - already at the age of four years read fluently, and at 11 spoke several languages. And at the age of eight he was in a car accident and spent a month in bed healing a broken arm and numerous bruises. In order not to bore his son, his parents gave him “Grey's Anatomy”, and it made a strong impression on Basquiat, and the pictures seen there, thoroughly modified, would later be reflected in his work.
Riding death
And a year later, his parents divorced, and his mother was in a psychiatric clinic - all this, of course, did not contribute to the well-being of the mental state of the boy.
At 15, he first decided to run away from home, however, he was quickly found and brought back, but the passion for vagrancy did not go anywhere, and in 18 Basquiat left his home forever. He had to live like a real bum - sometimes he was lucky to spend the night with friends and numerous girlfriends, but most often Basquiat just spent the nights on the street or somewhere under the bridge, favor in New York is still relatively warm. He painted the walls of houses with unintelligible inscriptions and drawings, which were born under the influence of marijuana and something stronger, and to earn money he drew postcards and drawings on T-shirts.
Two heads
But still music attracted him more than painting, he organized his own band, although the strange mix of jazz, funk and synth-pop was of little interest to anyone. Basquiat's painting was a different matter, although when he finally became famous, could live in a normal apartment and entered the creative crowd of New York bohemia, he still felt that he was treated as a kind of black savage because of several years spent on the streets and lack of normal education.
Hollywood Africans
All this pissed Basquiat off, but he tolerated it and tried to make the most of his new position. The years of need were not in vain - Basquiat was diligently making up for lost time, eating delicacies and drinking collector's wines. Although drugs did not go anywhere, only marijuana gave way to cocaine and heroin. And he also became a real paranoid, suspected all acquaintances that they communicate with him solely for selfish reasons. Money in his apartment was freely lying underfoot, between piles of marijuana and cocaine, but Basquiat did not even think to invest them in any business or at least in a bank account.
He died of a drug overdose, which he began to use especially zealously after the death of Andy Warhol, who became his mentor and friend. Fame and wealth were too much for Basquiat to bear.
Buy handmade goods or modern art you can on artAlebrio - is an international marketplace for people who want to create, sell, buy and collect unique items and art - buy the best with us artAlebrio.com.
By confirming your order you unconditionally accept these General Conditions of Sale
